Two Maharashtra businessmen lured to Hodal with fake deal, robbed of gold, money at gunpoint

The suspects snatched the duo’s phones, gold rings and ATM cards. They forced Argaje to transfer ₹1.29 lakh into a bank account. Santosh was coerced to transfer ₹75,000 via UPI

Two men from Maharashtra were allegedly abducted and robbed of gold jewellery, mobile phones and more than ₹2 lakh through forced bank transfers after being lured to Hodal with an offer to supply equipment for a solar power business, police said on Saturday. Two suspects have been arrested, and police are on lookout for four more.

Investigators said the suspects then took the men into the forest, blindfolded them and left them there before fleeing. The two subsequently removed their blindfolds and sought help from villagers, who helped them alert their families and the police control room. (Representational image)

The victims were identified as Vivekanand Eknath Argaje, 43, a businessman, and his friend Santosh Mahadev, 42, both residents of Beed district in Maharashtra.

Police said Argaje, who is in the solar power plant business, had been in contact with people from Palwal after connecting with them through social media. The suspects allegedly impersonated employees of a manufacturing firm in Hodal and offered to supply equipment at discounted rates. They subsequently invited Argaje to visit the factory to finalise the deal.

Argaje and Mahadev flew to Delhi on Wednesday and reached Hodal by cab around 1.20pm. Two suspects met them at Babri Mor and asked them to accompany them in their car.

A senior police officer said the suspects drove the men towards a forested area in Hodal. “Two more suspects waiting on the roadside joined them. They finally stopped near a secluded area with forest on one side and sugarcane fields on the other, where two more suspects reached on a motorcycle,” he said.

The officer said the suspects then held both men at gunpoint.

“The suspects snatched the duo’s phones, gold rings and ATM cards. They forced Argaje to transfer ₹1.29 lakh into a bank account. Santosh was coerced to transfer ₹75,000 via UPI,” he said.

Investigators said the suspects then took the men into the forest, blindfolded them and left them there before fleeing. The two subsequently removed their blindfolds and sought help from villagers, who helped them alert their families and the police control room.

Suresh Bhadana, deputy superintendent of police, Hodal, said a crime branch team arrested two suspects on Friday.

“They are being interrogated to ascertain the identities of the other suspects involved in the abduction,” he said.

Based on Argaje’s complaint, an FIR was registered at Hodal police station on Thursday under Sections 310(2) (dacoity), 311 (dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 318(4) (cheating), 351(2) (criminal intimidation) and 61 (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant provisions of the Arms Act.